Hellobee Boards Topic: How do you build up a breast milk stash?

Hellobee Boards Topic: How do you build up a breast milk stash? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:43:09 +0000 pelikila on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98596 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:10:10 +0000 pelikila 98596@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Clementine: Yes, pumping more often, even when you really aren't getting much will help but you may not notice it doing any good until you do it for a month or more. Also, when you pump, massage your breasts before and during to help express the milk since a pump isn't nearly as effective as a baby and the more empty you can get your breast is a single for your body to make more. Once you are done pumping, try hand expressing to get even more milk. I could get up to an ounce more sometimes once I started doing this routinely. Some times it was just a tiny bit more but every bit helps. Clementine on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98551 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:01:04 +0000 Clementine 98551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @shellio: so helpful! thank you! shellio on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98549 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:58:10 +0000 shellio 98549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Clementine: Start your stash ASAP! I recommend to my friends (especially those that are going back to work) that they rent a hospital pump for the first month and start pumping right away. I got my stash going because LO was not able to get milk from breast feeding, so I was exclusively pumping for a while. I pumped around the clock, even when he started sleeping for longer stretches. I would recommend pumping right after feeding whenever you get a chance, this will help establish an increased supply, too. When I started pumping and was worried that I wasn't producing enough, I put myself on a strict every-2-hours schedule with a couple 3 hour stretches at night. Also, I pumped for at least 5 minutes after milk was no longer coming out. I think this helped give me a good supply and start my freezer stash early on - and I'm grateful because after 8 weeks back at work, I am seeing my supply start to drop again. Clementine on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98544 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:50:50 +0000 Clementine 98544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ when should you start your stash? also I'm not producing enough milk. I heard if you keep pumping often it helps. I was wondering if folks found that to be true? Mrs. Bee on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98443 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:58:51 +0000 Mrs. Bee 98443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ i pumped after i fed olive as often as i could. since she was so small, she was taking tiny bottles so i was able to build up a stash. most of my stash was from olive's first month -- i just cycled through my milk from last november. i just keep it in a regular freezer, but i cycle through my frozen milk regularly so it doesn't get too old. i freeze whatever olive didn't finish on friday night, and then i defrost 2 bags of my oldest milk on sunday night. i wouldn't worry too much about oversupply. if you have an oversupply to begin with, you'll be able to pump a lot in a session so you won't have to pump as often. if you have a low supply, pumping will increase your supply, but it doesn't happen over night. it took me at least a month to increase my supply. just squeeze in pumping whenever you can -- breastfeed on one side and pump on the other or pump both sides after a feeding or pump at night when your lo is sleeping a longer stretch. banana on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98432 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:54:40 +0000 banana 98432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Most of my freezer stash was from pumping in the middle of the night when LO slept through the night at around 3 months. In the beginning though, I pumped when he went through stretches of sleep during his naps and night time sleep. So i was basically either feeding or pumping every 3 hours. Also, whenever LO would fall asleep at the breast (which happened often), I would put him down to sleep and pump out the rest. teaberry on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98410 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:41:07 +0000 teaberry 98410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @plantains: no wisdom here on building up a stash (I'd love to know too!), but I know that a deep freezer will keep breast milk for up to 6-12 months, and a regular freezer from 3 to 6 months. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/handling_breastmilk.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/handling_breastmilk.htm</a> pelikila on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98409 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:39:26 +0000 pelikila 98409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Before I returned to work I would pump everytime my son took a nap. If I was lucky there would be a long enough time maybe twice a day (we didn't introduce bottles at all until 6 weeks pp). Once I returned to work, my son was on a more consistent sleep schedule so I'd get up between night feedings and pump then as well. Once he night weaned I still pumped in the middle of the night because I would get great production then. If you have someone with you you could always feed baby and then pump while someone else held/burped baby so it will help increase production and you get an extra ounce or two for the freezer. I didn't have that so I couldn't pump after each feeding. Mrsbells on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98352 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:13 +0000 Mrsbells 98352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yeah I am curious about this too, I also plan build up a freezer stash for when I go back to work. plantains on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98334 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:48:22 +0000 plantains 98334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Good question that I would love to know the answer to. Also, do you have to have a deep freezer to build up a good stash or will my regular freezer do the job? Mrs. Pen on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98333 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:48:20 +0000 Mrs. Pen 98333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I'm curious about this as well because I'm afraid I'd get increased milk supply then get engorged when I stop pumping. chopsuey on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98325 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:44:40 +0000 chopsuey 98325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I didn't have an oversupply of milk, so I used to pump and save when my LO started sleeping through the night. Usually moms will feed on one side and pump the other or will pump after feedings. mediagirl on "How do you build up a breast milk stash?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-build-up-a-breast-milk-stash#post-98309 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:23:04 +0000 mediagirl 98309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Do you plan out a schedule where you feed your LO and then pump afterwards? Do you pump at times when your LO is not eating? I'm wondering how you build up a stash of breast milk for Mom's who will need that - like working Moms.